Carbon Monoxide Awareness

If you have not started your furnace already you will soon. Cold weather is approaching and turning the furnace it will be unavoidable.

Just a few days ago while inspecting a house a friend noticed that the gas water heater was not venting correctly. He got out the carbon monoxide detector and fired up the furnace, it also was not drafting correctly so he shut it off quickly. Possibly caused by a bird or squirrel nest in the chimney (used for the flue). Even though the furnace was operating only briefly he found carbon monoxide coming in to the basement and quickly shut if off.

This is to encourage you to have a CO detector, put in a new battery every fall and to have your furnace serviced regularly.

If you look closer at the picture you may see burn marks on the pipes. This is a clue to poor venting.